Music Theory & Musicianship Courses & Classes in London & Online
We teach a full range of Music Theory classes for Western staff notation, and Musicianship classes to enhance your practical music skills from composition to sight-singing.
Each course is a live, interactive class with presentations, discussions and study exercises lead by your teacher. Many courses run online (via Zoom) and will have an accompanying online ‘Google classroom’ with handouts and sound files to enhance your learning between sessions. To read more visit our blog: Musicianship & Music Theory courses at City Lit
Our staff are all professional musicians - performers, composers and music historians - many with a postgraduate music qualification. Please see individual course outlines for tutor biographies.
Many of our music theory students have used our courses as preparation for ABRSM music theory exams (external to city lit) and achieved excellent results. Students also learn out of curiosity and exams are not compulsory! The vast majority of our students are learning to support their instrumental or singing studies as they have decided they would like to read staff music notation with more confidence.
We have classes for complete beginners as well as advanced students so please email us at music@citylit.ac.uk if you would like help choosing the correct level course for your current need
- Ear trainingCourse start date: Wed 1 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Della RhodesEnhance your aural awareness of the mechanics of music and improve your recognition of, and response to, music in practice. Sing intervals, scales and harmonies in class, and study time and rhythm.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Learn to read musicCourse start date: Mon 6 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Cerys HoggBegin to read music, for instrumental playing and singing. Learn how to understand the notation of pitch, metre and rhythm. For absolute beginners, enjoy these practical sessions online.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Aural training (solfa): an introductionCourse start date: Thu 9 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Selena KayThese practical sessions will introduce you to sight-singing, transcription and general musicianship. Based on the famous Kodály method. Leads to part A next term
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £55.00 - Music theory: grade 5 revisionCourse start date: Thu 9 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Selena KayRevise and refresh your grade 5 theory knowledge this summer. Suitable for those who have previously studied music theory grade 5 and wish to refresh their skills.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £55.00 - Rhythm classCourse start date: Thu 9 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Matt FisherSupplement your instrumental or vocal study and improve your musical timekeeping. You will play in these online sessions, read and write rhythms, and work by ear.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Pentatonics and beyond: improvising in popular musicCourse start date: Sat 11 Jul 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David HarrisonStudy how to improvise in popular music. These practical sessions are for players of any instrument. Get to grips with improvisation in this exploration of common scales and approaches to improv in pop, rock, blues, folk and jazz. We’ll look at blues scales, pentatonics, extension notes and more to help you get the most out of your improvisation.
Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £99.00 - Musicianship for singers: introduction
Course start date: Fri 17 Jul 2026Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth BeckmannImprove your understanding of theory and musicianship in relation to the singing. This introductory course is for any singer who would like more understanding about the music they sing.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Composition techniques: intensive workshopCourse start date: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Trish ShawThis intensive workshop is on writing and arranging for voices with no instrumental accompaniment. Learn techniques for composing your own music, arranging existing tunes, creating vocal and choral textures, and setting English text.
Suitable for students with knowledge of music theory to at least grade/level 6 standard.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £111.00 - Music theory: grade 5 Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayLearn about irregular metre, tenor clef, major and minor keys to six flats/sharps, primary triads, cadences, and standard expression signs. Essential for anyone taking higher grade practical exams. (Break Week: 26/29th Oct 2026 or 2nd June 2027 as appropriate)
Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £209.00 - Musicianship 1: listening and reading, pitch and rhythmCourse start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Cerys HoggLearn to name and recognise what you hear, to organise music notation, write it and read it. These practical and academic sessions are suitable for absolute beginners, which may include students who play by ear and do not read yet.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £160.00 - Music theory: grade 1 Course start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HomdenLearn the basic principles of musical language and notation: rhythmic values, time signatures, pitch on treble and bass clefs, simple major scales, intervals and key signatures, and the most common musical terms and signs. NB: Our February courses have scheduled breaks on: 15, 18 February 2027
Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £139.00 - Music theory: grade 3 Course start date: Wed 16 Sep 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarha MooreDevelop your understanding of musical language by learning to read and write rhythm and melody in compound time, phrase structure and anacrusis (upbeat/pickup), transposing between clefs, major and minor keys up to four sharps/flats. (break week: 28 Oct 2026)
Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £195.00 - Songwriting: form and functionCourse start date: Sat 19 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: David HarrisonDevelop your ability to compose songs through practical exercises. Examine well known songs from pop, rock and jazz in order to understand their chord progressions, accompaniment, bass lines and rhythm. Ideal for players and singers with a good working knowledge of harmony.Develop your ability to compose songs through practical exercises. Examine well known songs from pop, rock and jazz in order to understand their chord progressions, accompaniment, bass lines and rhythm. Ideal for players and singers with a good working knowledge of harmony.
Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £160.00 - Keyboard harmony and performance workshop Course start date: Mon 21 Sep 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ricardo GosalboA practical workshop integrating keyboard harmony with piano performance skills. Taught in-person on a grand piano, this workshop is aimed at classical pianists with a music theory standard of grade 6+ and good sheet music reading skills. We shall deepen our understanding of musical works by studying the harmonic constructs that underpin them, tackle the technical challenges they present, and explore how harmonic analysis can inform our interpretative choices. Break Weeks:4, 25 May 2026, 26th Oct 2026, 15th Feb 2027, 3rd and 31st May 2027
Full fee £399.00 Senior fee £319.00 Concession £279.00 - Keyboard harmony 5A Course start date: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ricardo GosalboA practical workshop for classical pianists who are new to studying harmony but have piano skills of grade 5 or higher. Broaden your understanding of piano repertoire by studying the underpinning harmonic constructs. It is recommended to complete all 3 modules (A, B and C) in preparation for the Keyboard harmony & Piano Performance Workshop. Break Week: 26th Oct 2026
Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £209.00
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